This invention relates to a counting device, and more particularly to a magnetic induction counting device by which automatic counting operation can be performed according to the movement of a worker's hand during material handling operations.
It is known that in order to maintain proper inventory transfer transactions and adequate itemization records, most manufacturing plants must rely on the accuracy of their material management department. Efficient inventory control methods are especially required by companies engaged in the manufacture of shoes and electronic parts where material handling operations are constantly conducted, and where every record must show the exact quantity of materials in daily receipts and issuances so as to keep an accurate balance of materials and achieve an effective material management. However, oral counting is the usual procedure adopted by the material management personnel for handling inventory operations. This primitive method of counting is easily susceptible to an external interference, such interruption often resulting in either a complete disrememberance or a faulty recollection of the number of items counted. Other scientific devices such as a photo-sensing device, have been may be developed to count the number of times the worker's hand passes through an electric eye. However, the electric eye of the photo-sensing device must always be aligned with the worker's hand; otherwise, erroneous counting will occur. Thus, the working area has to be confined in a particular spot wherein the worker's hand is supposed to be held in motion. Furthermore, the counting performed by the electric eye may be falsely activated by foreign objects, such the flying insects, causing inaccurate counting.